A Week of Kataang
by Airhead259
Summary: A tribute to an amazing ship - Kataang Week is back! UPDATE: Three chapters at once :D
1. Panda Lily

_Finally! I got this done! And I don't like it too much, but that's okay._

_I dedicate this chapter to my friend, who gave me an idea for the most important part of this story! Let's see if you can guess which part it is!_

_Oh, it's an AU by the way :P_

_Disclaimer: Airhead does not own Avatar._

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Panda Lily

Katara sat silently in the kitchen, staring out the window. It was a bright and sunny morning, but she did not feel the urge to enjoy it. Her gaze shifted to a delicate vase on the table in front of her. Inside it was a beautiful flower; a panda lily with petals striped black and white. Sighing, she let her fingers run over it for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

A week ago, her husband had left to take care of some business in another country. He was an integral part of a large company and it was necessary for him to be present at an important meeting. But before going away, he had given her the flower.

"This is so you'll think of me everyday, and not miss me too much," he had said with a small smile. "I'll be back in a month. I love you." And with that, he was gone.

From that moment on, Katara kept the panda lily with her at all times. She stared at it everyday, deep in thought. She wore in her hair when she went to the market. And she kept it beside her bed every night before going to sleep. After a few days, she realised that it would not last long without water, so she placed it on their dining table in a vase.

The same vase she was sitting in front of at this very moment.

'_I wish you would come home soon, Aang…'_ she thought. _'The house feels so empty without you…'_

_A week later…_

Somehow, every day she spent away from him made Katara feel even more attached to the flower. It was as if a part of his essence had latched on to it. Its smell reminded her so much of him that she would let it waft around the house for hours. She would not cook anything during this time, fearing that the smell of the food would mask the lily's sweet scent.

_Another week later…_

She stared at the plant again, just as she had done yesterday and the day before, drifting off into memories involving her and Aang. It was her only source of comfort now that he was gone. And although he would be back in a week, she wanted to feel his presence every single day. She laughed as she remembered all the good times she had spent with him and her own brother when they were younger.

"_Aang, where are you going…?" asked a sleepy eyed Sokka. He had been woken up at the sound of the younger boy trying to sneak out of their shared room._

"_Uh…I'm going for a walk!" he replied, a little too cheerfully. "It's a beautiful night! There's nothing better than waking up in the middle of the night for a little stroll, huh?"_

"_Sure, I guess…okay, enjoy your walk." _

_Aang nodded eagerly and rushed out of the room. Sokka groaned as he lay back down to sleep._

_After a few minutes, his head shot back up again._

'_Wait…I thought Aang was a morning person…'_

_He jumped out of bed and ran out of his room, absently noticing that the door to his sister's room was also open. He opened the front door, still in his pyjamas, and scanned his surroundings as he walked forward slowly. Suddenly, he heard some bushes rustling. He walked up to them only to see two teenagers sitting on a bench and looking quite…occupied._

_It was that night that he realised how close his sister and his best friend really were._

A smile graced her lips as the image faded. Sokka had told her everything once the two had returned home, and given them a long lecture about 'being more than just friends'. Sometimes she missed her brother as well.

But she still missed her husband more.

Her thoughts returning her to reality once more, she leaned forward to smell the panda lily before smiling.

'_I know you'll be home soon, Aang. And I'll be waiting.'_

--

After a week, he returned home. As soon as she saw him, Katara ran up to Aang and gave him a hug, which he eagerly returned.

"Did you miss me?" he asked once they had separated.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully before replying, "I did, but not as much as I thought I would."

He raised an eyebrow before noticing the flower, which was in her hair once again.

"You kept this?" he whispered, raising his hand to stroke the petals. She blushed.

"It reminded me of you…" was her soft response. "It made me feel like you had never left."

He grinned at her. "I'm glad."


	2. Blush

_Here we are - chapter two! I don't like this one much either, but anyway, I hope you enjoy!_

_This one contains a reference to a previous oneshot of mine. Located in '100 Themes', entitled 'Enemies'. Ring a bell? (if you've read it, that is)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar._

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Blush

Sokka stared at the plate of food that had been set before him.

"What is this?" he asked his sister, who was currently serving Toph and Aang their portions. She looked up at him.

"It's dinner," she replied casually. "Why? Is something wrong with it?" She raised an eyebrow. He glanced at the food again and wrinkled his nose.

"No…well, yes," he said finally. Katara's eyebrow moved higher as she glared at him.

"And what is wrong with my cooking?" she asked, her tone rising.

"It's…there's no meat!" he stated just as loudly. "And it looks so bland! Why don't you add some spices for once?"

Katara's face hardened. "Sokka! Toph and Aang are our guests and they don't like spicy food. So stop complaining!"

"But it's so ordinary! Can't you cook something different? I mean-"

"That's IT!" She yelled, bringing everyone in the room to their senses. Aang was visibly stunned. Toph paused for a moment, and then continued eating.

"I've HAD IT with you! All you do is criticise my cooking! I never hear a single positive comment from you! Even when we went camping with Suki, you rejected my stew! Do you HAVE to hate everything I cook?!"

"That's not what I-"

"NO! I'm not going to take it this time! From now on, you can cook your own dinner!" she screeched. The room was silent. None of the four said a word. Then, Toph piped up.

"Well actually, Sokka's right," she said calmly, not acknowledging what has just taken place. "Your food is a bit boring. It could've been better."

Katara turned to her, speechless. She had not expected this.

"See? Someone agrees with me! Right Toph?"

"Right you are, Snoozles."

Katara looked down. '_Is my food really that bad?' _she thought sadly.

"Well, I don't know why you guys are complaining. This stuff is great!"

Her head jerked up, seeking the source of the voice. She found it to be none other than Aang.

"I mean…" he paused to munch on some vegetables. After swallowing, he continued. "This food is amazing! How could you not like it?"

A blush crept up on to Katara's cheeks. She had not expected this either.

Aang looked like he was thoroughly enjoying his meal. "I think I know why you wouldn't like it, Sokka. It's completely vegetarian. But you have to learn to appreciate Katara's stewed vegetables - they're to die for."

Her blush deepened. "Thanks Aang, but I know you're just saying that…"

He looked up at her. "Are you kidding me? I'd give anything to eat this stuff! Your cooking is perfect!"

Katara had now turned completely red. Sokka noticed this, but chose not to say anything, fearing for his life. Toph felt her racing heartbeat, but remained silent.

Having finished his meal completely, Aang leaned back in his chair, satisfied. "Ah, that was wonderful. Katara, if I could eat your food every day for the rest of my life, I would be the happiest guy in the world."

Her heart racing, she rushed out of the room, but not before squeaking out a quick 'Thank you' in response. Sokka and Aang stared after her as she left.

"Wow Twinkletoes, I'm impressed." Toph stated after a while. "You sure were making her uncomfortable…"

"I…I was?" he asked hesitantly. "Was it something I said? I should really go check on her." Without another word, he got up and left the room.

"Awkward…?" mumbled Sokka.

"…yeah."

--

"Did I say something wrong?" Katara jumped at the sound of Aang's uneasy voice drifting from the doorway. She was leaning against the wall, taking deep breaths. She blushed again.

"No! No you didn't," she responded quickly. "It's just…Sokka and Toph were being so rude and then suddenly, you started complimenting me out of nowhere!"

He sighed. "You know they can be mean sometimes…"

"But that's not it!" she stated, louder than she expected herself to be. Taking another deep breath to calm herself, she continued.

"Did you really mean whatever you said?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "Your cooking IS wonderful, Katara. People need to appreciate it more!"

She turned red again, just as she had been a few minutes ago. Moving away from the wall, she walked closer to him, pulling him into a hug. This time, he blushed.

"Thank you so much, Aang," she whispered. "It means so much to me…thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied just as quietly. She smiled before pulling away. Then, glancing around to make sure no-one saw them, she kissed his cheek before stepping away and exiting the room, leaving a very red Aang behind. After a few moments, he shook his head and grinned.

Meanwhile, as Katara made her way back to the dining room, she imagined what it would be like to have him compliment her cooking every single day for the rest of her life.

'_That's a very nice thought…'_ she mused, smiling to herself.


	3. VulnerableStrong, StrengthWeakness

_Uh, I couldn't decide which pair to do exactly, so I kinda crammed all four of them into one chapter XD_

_Enjoy! :P_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar._

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Vulnerable/Strong or Strength/Weakness

He is the Avatar. And so, he is considered to be the strongest person in the world.

But only those close to him know his weaknesses.

They know that he cherishes life and cannot bear to see anyone hurt. He cares about his friends and will protect them at any cost. These have been used against him many times, and at those times, he has felt vulnerable, exposed. And it scares him.

The Avatar is thought to be strong. But in reality, he is weak, as all people are. After all, if he was not weak, he would not be human. And if he was not human, he would not care about life, or have feelings for a certain water tribe girl.

He is vulnerable. He has been hurt, manipulated and even imprisoned. But he carries on.

Because his love for the waterbender gives him strength.

--

As a woman, she is considered to be timid, fragile, weak. But she is not. For she has strength in many forms – the strength of a master waterbender and of a healer, the strength of the love she has for her people, her family and friends.

And mostly, the strength of the love she feels for the Avatar.

Although she senses that he may not feel the same way, she believes in him. She feels his pleasure, his happiness, as well as his pain. And she feels it more than anyone.

She silently vows to protect him, to be by his side forever. His vulnerability is not unknown to her, and so she will stand by him to catch him when he falls, to support him when he needs it, to comfort him when he feels lost.

Because her love for the Avatar gives her hope.


	4. Tradition

_Three chapters at once: 1/3_

_I wrote this one over a span of a few days - it was the main reason why I didn't update for so long! But I'm happy with the outcome :)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar._

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Tradition

Marriage was an important tradition in all three existing nations. The Fire Nation usually made them extremely stunning, decorating the entire room in rich golds and reds. The people of the Northern Water Tribe organised arranged marriages which started off with a betrothal. The man would make a necklace for the woman and they would be married a few days later in a big ceremony.

The Southern Water Tribe, however, had a different tradition. Especially when it had to do with royalty.

At the age of sixteen, the princess would have many suitors approaching her for her hand. To make it easier for her to choose, her father, the chief, would organise a party, which they would attend. She would then pick the one she wanted to marry and the match would be final. It was much more open-minded when compared to their sister tribe's ideas.

But eventually, a certain princess refused to get married when she was of age. This is why, two years later on her eighteenth birthday, her father dragged her into it.

Katara looked around the room uninterestedly. It was filled with men, most of them from the Water Tribe and a few from the Earth Kingdom. She sighed.

They were all the same; here only because of her high status. And, knowing that she was already eighteen, they were sure that her father wanted to 'get rid of her' as soon as possible. She hated each and every one of them for thinking such thoughts.

They didn't voice their opinions, of course, but she could tell by looking at each and every one of them.

"Katara?" She turned to see her father approaching her.

"Yes?" she asked, trying to sound excited.

He looked at her with a gentle expression. "Shouldn't you be talking to our…guests?" he asked her. "They must be eager to meet you."

"I don't want to talk to any of them…" she muttered.

"At least give them a chance, Katara. They're all here to meet you."

She sighed again. "All right." Sometimes, it was just impossible to refuse her father, knowing that he would be disappointed. She hated seeing him like that.

Katara rose from her seat and walked out into the crowd. All the men looked away from what they were doing. Some of them openly stared at her; others managed a feeble 'hello'. Most of them, however, were acting aloof.

'_Typical Water Tribe attitude,'_ she thought to herself. _'Sokka must've told them a thing or two.'_

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't see where she was going. She bumped into someone and they fell to the ground.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Katara exclaimed as she scrambled off the floor and just barely managed to sit up. Everyone around them was watching intently. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine," he replied calmly as he sat up too, and she managed to get a good look at his face.

She couldn't believe her eyes.

"…Aang…? Wha-what are _you_ doing here? This is supposed to be a…match-making party…"

He sat up a little straighter. "Oh, it is? Um…right, I was just coming to…to check up on you! Yeah, that's it!"

She raised her eyebrow, and he understood that she wasn't buying it. He groaned.

"I didn't expect this to happen," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. "I was just going to stand aside, and watch you pick some guy that you wanted to marry, and then leave. I…this wasn't supposed to happen."

"…but it did." She finished for him, still waiting for an answer. "So tell me, what are you doing here?"

"I…I just wanted to have one last look at you. Before…before I lose you."

She looked at him in shock. "...what did you say?"

"I'm going to lose you," he repeated, more clearly this time, as he stood up and extended a hand to help her up. She took it absently and stood up as well.

"Aang, you're not going to lose me. You're my best friend – even if I do get married, we'll always be friends. No matter what." Secretly, on the inside, her heart was breaking as she said this.

"No, no, that's not what I meant," he interrupted. "What I meant is I'm going to lose you. To someone else."

Katara's eyes widened. "Aang…-"

"-I couldn't just sit around without seeing who you chose! I wanted to make sure that he was perfect. So I came along."

"…but that isn't the only reason, is it?" she asked him quietly.

He sighed. "I guess not."

"Then tell me. Why?"

"Because I love you."

The crowd around them gasped upon hearing such a direct answer. There were murmurs coming from every corner of the room, but he wasn't listening to any of them. What he was focusing on was Katara's stunned face.

"You-you love me?" she asked carefully, shaking her head to clear it. It wasn't working.

"I know it must be a shock to you. I mean, you've always considered me a friend, and now I've sort of turned on you, haven't I? I guess you thought I was the only guy in the world who wanted to be just friends, but you were wrong. And now you feel betrayed, don't you?"

She was still in disbelief. Thoughts were spinning around in her head and she couldn't make sense of any of them. His confession was the only thing reverberating in her mind.

Taking her silence the wrong way, he looked down at his feet. "I guess I'll just…go," he muttered, and turned to walk out the door. It was then that Katara was jolted back to the present.

"No wait!" she cried, reaching out and grabbing his hand before he could walk away. "Don't go…to tell you the truth, I didn't expect you to be here, but not for the reasons that you think."

He remained silent, so she continued.

"I thought you wouldn't be here because…you only thought of me as a friend. But, honestly, you were the only person I wanted to see here. And when I did see you, I was just…shocked."

Aang nodded, still listening. The hand holding his tugged him a little closer.

"But now, I know how you feel. And just that makes more confident to tell you how I feel."

She blushed and looked into his eyes. "I love you."

Before she could add anything else, he wrapped his arms around her, making the crowd gasp again, this time louder than before. She returned the hug, finally content.

After several moments (that felt like hours to them both), they pulled away slightly. Still in Aang's arms, Katara turned and looked to her father, who was watching from a distance away.

"Dad, I've chosen."


	5. Comfort

_Three chapters at once: 2/3_

_As soon as I saw the prompts for Kataang Week 2, this was the first idea that came to me. It's really short, though - I had to make up an ending as I went along :P_

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Comfort

They met in the first grade. And from then on, they were inseparable.

Aang was considered to be more of the mischievous type, even though he was nothing but mischievous. He would daydream in class and was never able to answer a single question, yet he was a straight A student. Instead of listening to boring lectures, he preferred to doodle on his textbooks.

Katara was quite different. She got good grades, but she always paid attention in class. She never got into trouble and was an active participant in class activities. The two met when they were paired up for a project and she was instantly attracted to his sunny disposition and fun personality.

Ever since that day, they were together all the time. They sat next to each other in class, ate lunch together and even went to each others' houses after school. In later grades, they chose the same subjects and extra curricular activities, just to be with each other. Katara's brother often teased them about them dating, but they always denied it.

In reality, they weren't, but each knew there was something about the other that brought them closer together. They felt a strong bond and it took them a while to find out what it was. But they did, eventually.

When Aang's parents died when he was in the fourth grade, he was devastated. Katara knew something was wrong when he didn't come to school and went over to visit him as soon as the last bell rang. When she found out the truth, she comforted him as he broke down, letting all his emotions free. Luckily for both of them, Aang's uncle became his guardian and he didn't have to leave for an orphanage.

In high school, Katara had many boys vying for her attention. She tried to ignore it at first but eventually gave in and began dating. Unfortunately, none of them worked out and almost always, she was left broken hearted.

And Aang was always there to help her pick up the pieces.

It was one of those days again. Katara's latest boyfriend had broken up with her and she was sobbing at one of the outdoor cafeteria tables. Aang came up to the table and sat down in front of her.

"Another guy?" he asked gently. She nodded, not even bothering to lift her head.

"It happens, Katara. But don't worry. Someday you'll find a guy who's crazy about you!"

'_Like me,'_ he thought to himself.

She sniffed and looked up at him, eyes red from crying. He placed his hand over hers on the table and smiled.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he replied. "Now, let's get you some comfort food. Do you want to come over for a while after school?"

She nodded, smiling. "I'd like that."

As they walked over to the cafeteria, she wondered how Aang always knew exactly what she wanted.

--

Katara entered his room, only to see that it hadn't changed one bit since her last visit (which was the day before). The walls were plastered with posters of his favourite bands. The bed was covered in clothes and books, while the window was wide open to let fresh air in. She smiled. _'His room is always so bright and airy…'_

She seated herself on an unoccupied part of his bed ("Sorry 'bout the mess, Katara…") and he settled down in a beanbag. Then, he leaned forward, resting his head on his hands in an interrogative manner.

"So, what's on your mind right now? Tell me everything."

She sighed. "Where do I begin? All the guys I've dated or even made friends with have turned out to be jerks. Besides you, of course," she added hastily.

"Sometimes, I feel like you're the only one who has ever understood me. Even my dad and brother can't tell if I'm upset, but you always can. And you always know how to help me! It's just…" she trailed off.

"Maybe it's because we understand each other," he responded after a while. "We've been through similar experiences and helped each other. And we've been friends for ages. I think we have a special connection or something."

She smiled at him. "Well, whatever it is, I always feel very comfortable around you, Aang. Thank you, for always being there for me."

"You're welcome," he replied, smiling back at her. "If there's anything you want, go ahead and ask me. Anytime."

She paused to think before saying, "Well, if it's too much to ask, do you think I could stay over tonight? I'd like to know you're close by, just in case I have a fit or something." She giggled.

"Sure! You can call your dad from the phone in the living room; I'll come with you."

They left the room together. And as they walked downstairs, another thought suddenly hit Katara.

"Um, you wouldn't happen to have any comfort food, would you?_"_

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_I seem to enjoy ending chapters with a single dialogue XD_


	6. Love of Life

_Three chapters at once: 3/3_

_You'll have to look really hard to see the theme reference in this one; it's very subtle. This was a last-minute idea._

_Oh, and there's a certain pattern that repeats itself in this chapter. Let's see if you can figure out what it is!_

_Disclaimer: I (still) don't own Avatar_

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Love of Life

"Um…Aang?"

He looked up from the scroll he was reading. Katara walked into the room, carefully moving closer to him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked gently.

"No…well, I was just wondering…it's been a while since we last went on a date, hasn't it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Katara, we've been married for three years now…"

"I know, but that doesn't mean I don't want to go out with you every now and then…"she stated quietly, while playing with her hair.

He got up and walked up to her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"You didn't let me finish. What I meant to say was, we've been married for three years – you don't have to be so nervous," he finished with a chuckle. She blushed.

"So, are we going…out?" she asked. He smiled.

"Of course."

---

A few hours later, Katara and Aang were seen walking down the streets of the Fire Nation, where they were now staying. A few people stopped to stare and some waved at them. The couple merely smiled at them, too engrossed in each other to do anything more.

"So where are we going?" Katara asked him eagerly. He stopped in his tracks and turned to her.

"You're asking me? This was your idea! I thought you had something planned."

"No, not really," she replied. "This was more of an impulse, actually." She grinned, staring off into space as if in deep thought. After a few moments, they began walking again.

"I have an idea," Aang stated suddenly. "Are you hungry?"

"Um, a little…"

"Perfect. Now come on – we have shopping to do."

---

As the sun set, they headed towards an outdoor market. The Fire Nation was famous for its street food. Katara mostly watched as Aang picked out various items, most of them fried, and nodded or shook her head when he asked for approval. She was too busy watching the sky turn darker and the stalls around her grow brighter and more crowded.

'_This place really is popular,' _she thought. _'I wonder why I haven't heard of it before…'_

"…Katara? I'm done."

She turned around to face Aang who was watching her, a knowing smile on his face. He took her hand.

"Let's go."

---

They found a secluded spot atop a hill, away from the crowd, where they could have dinner. Aang unpacked all the food he had bought, along with a small candle-holder and a candle to provide them with light while they ate.

"So, how has your night been so far?" he asked her once they were done.

""Wonderful," she replied, smiling. "I've missed our quality time together. It seems like you're away all the time these days…"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I always have time for you. I always have and I always will."

"You can't guarantee that…" she murmured, avoiding his gaze.

"Maybe not, but I can make time. I've done that before."

She gasped softly. "You…you've skipped meetings…for me?"

"Those…and some other things…." He grinned sheepishly. "Anything for you, Katara." There was a pause.

"I know I should be upset with you right now, but I'm not," she breathed after a while. "It feels satisfying somehow, knowing you would miss out on your duties, just for me."

He nodded, smiling. They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying their surroundings and the view of the city beneath them.

Aang was the first to break this silence. "Oh, and Katara?"

She turned to him. "Yes?"

"Don't be shy about asking me out every now and then. I'll always say yes, no matter what."

She smiled. "Okay."

"And one more thing."

"Hmm?"

"…are you free tomorrow night?"

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_And that's it for my side of Kataang Week! I won't be doing the last prompt, 'In my Arms' as a oneshot, but instead, I've drawn a picture, which I'll be posting on the Kataang forums (Kataang Forever). I may post it on my (highly underused) deviantart account, but I'll have to think about it._

_And expect to see my new story soon! :D_


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